Drysuit in "warmer waters"?

[glcoley]

Hi, I'm new to the board and have recently read about DUI's 30/30 drysuit for diving in "warmer water". The concept seems logical to me as I've often seen divers complain of being cold in "warmer water" diving.
I dive mostly drysuit in 48 to 63 degree water and my Weezle keeps me warm.
Never tried a drysuit in warmer water, but have a new USIA for the experiment.
I know DUI wants to sell suits, but...
Why wouldn't it work just as well if I just use lighter undergarments, maintain some shade, maybe unzip and vent between dives and/or pour water over my head.
Any body dive drysuit in "warmer water"???

 

[El Orans]

When I did my liveaboard trip in the Red Sea, Egypt, all the guides used drysuits.

BTW, welcome (Scub)aBoard! :happywave

 

[scubadobadoo]

Take it off if it's really hot and you will be fine. In the summer the air temps here in the NE have been in the 90's as I have walked into 40 degree water with heavy undies on. Not fun. If I can walk around with heavy undies in 90 degree temps, I see no reason why you couldn't use almost no undies and be just fine! I bring my dry suit to florida with me and sometimes get looks but I have seen others doing it. If it keeps you warm and doesn't over heat you, then go for it!!

If you are diving several times a day you may want to still bring that wet suit just in case you have a seal tear or maybe you could use the wet suit the first few dives then switch to the dry suit later if ya want...whatever you feel like doing.

I also know of a DM on a liveaboard in warm waters that always uses a dry suit. After weeks of diving several a day in 80 degree water your core temp will be tested.

 

[glcoley]

Thanks,
Do you recall the type of suits and undergarments?
I would like to dive the Red Sea some day, what was the water temperature?

 

[El Orans]

Thanks,
Do you recall the type of suits and undergarments?
I would like to dive the Red Sea some day, what was the water temperature?

El Orans goes to Egypt...

 

[scubadobadoo]

El Orans goes to Egypt...

Excellent info. Thanks! I love reading reports!

 

[kidspot]

Welcome to Scubaboard from a warm water diver - I just started diving dry this month, got 5 dry dives in so far and other than the learning curve I'm still climbing over and a few other issues, I'm liking it more each dive. I'm using a bare Nex-gen with expedition weight long underwear for undergarments - temperature is perfect in water for me (79* water lately and mid 80's on land) I did discover that I only start to overheat if the suit is dry and I'm on land, so I put a gallon of water in the back of my truck and as soon as I get the suit zipped up I pour it over the front and back of the suit. It cools me off perfectly for same amount of time it takes to get kitted up and into the water (which is how long it takes to evaporate off of the suit)

I considered going with a suit like the 30/30 which had ankle seals and am quite glad I did not now.

Hope that helps,
Aloha, Tim

 

[glcoley]

Seems I should have joined this board earlier...
all good friendly responses from a logical viewpoint,
thanks for the feedback,
my wife has recently drysuit certified also and I think we'll just take our drysuits from here on,
she hasn't been to Hawaii,
Tim, maybe we will see you when I take her.

 

[kidspot]

Drop me a PM when you come on over - and most dry divers leave their suits behind when visiting us... but that doesn't mean you have too - it would give people someone else to stare at besides me for a change

Aloha, Tim

 

[Scubakevdm]

I dive a DUI TLS-350 with fleece pajamas from Walmart ($14.99) in Florida when the water gets below 75. It works just fine for me. Hey! I'm wearing it in my avatar. Look how comfy.